The subject matter disclosed herein relates generally to gantry design and, more particularly, safety mechanisms for gantries.
Gantries are an important part of radiography and tomography systems. A medical imaging system can include a gantry comprising a stationary frame supporting a rotary member about a scanning axis of a scanner. The rotary member includes a central opening large enough to receive a patient extending along the scanning axis. The rotary member is rotated about a patient during a scanning or imaging procedure. An x-ray tube can be positioned on the rotary member diametrically across the central opening from an array of x-ray detectors. As the rotary member rotates, the x-ray tube projects a beam of energy, or x-rays, along a scan plane, through a patient, and to the detector array. By rotating the x-ray source about the scanning axis and relative to the patient, x-rays are projected through a patient from many different directions. An image of the scanned portion of a patient can be constructed from data provided by the detector array using a computer.
As the opening size inside a gantry increases, the amount of space in the gantry for components, materials, and safety mechanisms can be reduced. In addition, as a gantry opening depth gets longer, a patient may start to feel claustrophobic. If a patient, or subject, pushes outward from inside a gantry opening with insufficient safety mechanisms, the force could damage the gantry or injure the patient. Safety mechanisms in gantry design are needed to ensure smooth operation, safety, and fault tolerance.